The Rev. Barry Lynn to Testify at Subcommittee Hearing on Faith-Based Initiatives (TODAY/11-18)

[Adsos Letter]

Source: Nate Hennagin
Americans United for Separation of Church and State

TODAY November 18 at 10:30, Americans United’s own Barry Lynn will testify at a House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties hearing Faith-Based Initiatives. The hearing will focus on the new Executive Order signed (yesterday) by President Obama and the issue of employment discrimination in government funded positions.

Americans United is opposed to the Faith-Based Initiative. Giving money to religious organizations to implement social service programs for the most vulnerable in our society raises many concerns with the Establishment Clause.

All of these issues will be up for discussion during tomorrow’s hearing and we hope that it will provide some oversight into the faith-based initiative. Joining Barry to testify will be Melissa Rogers and Douglas Laycock, both noted legal scholars in this field. AU and our coalition partners have pushed for this hearing to take place since the beginning of the Obama Administration, so we are happy that it is finally happening and that we are taking part in it.

Don’t miss Barry’s testimony at the hearing on November 18! You can watch the webcast online by going here: http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/calendar.html

EDITED: to add link to original story: http://www.au.org/what-we-do/legislative/legislative-blog/archives/2010/11/the-rev-barry-lynn-to-testify-at-subcommittee-hearing-on-faith-based-initiatives.html
___________________________________________

I would encourage DUer's to watch this hearing, if possible. The continuing erosion of Church/State separation can only add to the multitude of problems we face as a nation. Republicans and Theocrats are gaining strength in Congress, and the watchdog over the constitutionality of our laws (the Supreme Court) is dominated by justices sympathetic to theocratic views.

Depending upon who you listen to, the economy is either slowly recovering, or facing further deterioration over the next couple of years; or both (short term/long term). Aside from my gut feeling that using Federal tax funds for faith-based initiatives is unconstitutional, I fear the power of social control we may be handing to theocratic minded organizations at a time when our citizens dependence on such groups may increase, as the Republicans/Teabaggers do their best to "drown government in the bathtub" and assume the role of gatekeeper for the public welfare in times of increasing need.

[RandomThoughts]

1. When you talk about government you should talk about the different parts.

The Homeland Security part, is not the same as the part that provides Social Security and Medicare.

Government has many parts, and they don't all do the same things for the same reasons.


So you can be supportive of some parts that try to correct flaws in capitalism's distribution system, while against other parts that try to set up control state, or remove rights.

[Adsos Letter]

2. Where did I say anything about Homeland Security?

Attempting "to correct flaws in capitalism's distribution system" should not, in my opinion, be done through Federal funding of faith-based organizations. I fear the potential for abuse especially, as I suggested in the OP, with the increasing influence of those intent upon tearing down the social safety net while increasing their hold on the distribution of needed resources.

EDIT: off to bed; I'll check this, and give it a kick, in the morning.

[RandomThoughts]

3. You said it in this comment.

as the Republicans/Teabaggers do their best to "drown government in the bathtub"

Although they are just fronting for a different group mostly.

[Adsos Letter]

4. I thought the context made the meaning clear.

The social safety net seems to be their primary target, as well as education.

[RandomThoughts]

5. There target is anyone that believes they can be free and not a slave.

If you think you should have rights, then you are the target of those that want dictatorship. And that is not all in government, but many that set policies, and talk about them on tv.


Although much of it is so they can laugh at people, since they think if a person is willing to be brainwashed into being a slave then they deserve it, even if they do the brainwashing.

It is a part of superiority complex.

Something like controlling education or social safety net is a tool to those ends.

[Adsos Letter]

6. Kick for the East Coast Crew, cause it should be up live at 10:30 a.m., your time.

[rurallib]

7. yet another area where Obama mostly follows Bushco policies

and what amazes me is that I believe 'faith based initiatives' have actually been okayed by the courts. I can't see anything that could be a much clearer violation of the constitutition. And dressing it up a bit doesn't make it any less so.